Video | Conor McGregor drills southpaw boxing defense ahead of rumoured Dustin Poirier fight

The rumoured rematch between Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier is not yet official, but the Irishman seems to be preparing for the challenge as if it is.

McGregor and Poirier first fought in the featherweight division in 2014, with the former winning by first-round knockout. Over the last few weeks, they’ve been linked to a rematch.

The talk first began when the pair expressed interest in partaking in a charity exhibition fight in McGregor’s native Ireland. UFC President Dana White then countered this plan by offering the pair a legitimate fight in the Octagon, ostensibly for January 23. Both claim to have accepted this offer.

While the fight has still not been officially announced, McGregor seems to be hard at work in the gym, preparing for a southpaw boxer—just like Poirier. See some footage of his training below.

Preparations for January 23 are well and truly underway for Conor McGregor.

Getting those southpaw defensive drills in with Cian Cowley. 🥊#UFC

🎥 via @TheNotoriousMMA pic.twitter.com/TWW6lybDYn

— Chisanga Malata (@Chisanga_Malata) October 27, 2020

Conor McGregor has made no secret of the reasons he’s seeking a fight with Dustin Poirier. Not only will a win over “The Diamond” put him right back in UFC lightweight title contention, but it will also be a solid warm-up for his long-desired boxing match with Manny Pacquiao, also a southpaw with big power.

Correct. Southpaw box style. Continue to sharpen my MMA skills with some tough competition, while leading into my Manny bout preparation.
It’s not easy going between both sports and then coming back to the one sport again.
Just want to keep sharp guys, that’s all. It’s only fair. https://t.co/PnjHb4VP9j

— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) October 13, 2020

“It’s because he’s angling to fight Pacquiao,” Poirier said in a recent interview with MMA Junkie. “He wants to fight another southpaw before he fights another southpaw.”

“Correct,” McGregor responded on Twitter. “Southpaw box style. Continue to sharpen my MMA skills with some tough competition, while leading into my Manny bout preparation. It’s not easy going between both sports and then coming back to the one sport again. Just want to keep sharp guys, that’s all. It’s only fair.”

Do you think Conor McGregor will pick up a second win over Dustin Poirier in January?